Celebrities Wearing Scrunchies 2011-06-06 06:00:00

Witness the History of the Scrunchie

Not too long ago on The Late Show With David Letterman, guest Jennifer Garner revealed that she used to run a lucrative scrunchie business back in college. This got me thinking about these vintage (and oft-mocked) ponytail holders. Just exactly where did they come from, and who used to — or still does — wear them anyway? Find out this and more, when you read on.

They've gone under several different designs and names over the years, from Scünci to Rommi, but the name scrunchie actually came from the design itself. Hence, thanks to its scrunched fabric, this ponytail holder became known as the scrunchie. Here's Teri Garr sporting a silver one in 1989.

A red scrunchie "starred" in 1989's Heathers? In the black comedy, the prized red scrunchie acts as a leadership symbol of sorts, with Veronica Sawyer (as portrayed by Winona Ryder) getting her final revenge — and the scrunchie — in the end.

Some time in the 1990s, designer Cynthia Steffe was spotted wearing a scrunchie while discussing the merits of zippers and mod looks in this old-school video. (See Cynthia's scrunchie around the 1:20 mark.)

In 2003's Slab Rat, author Ted Heller explores what it's like to work in the fierce, competitive world of fashion magazines. Zachary, the main character in the book, has a thing for an editor who wears a scrunchie. A scrunchie in the fashion world? While unlikely, as evidenced by Cynthia Steffe, it could happen.

In 2005's In Her Shoes we saw another reference to the scrunchie in film. Cameron Diaz (as Maggie) snarkily says to a ponytail-wearing Toni Collette (as Rose), "1994 called. It wants its hair scrunchie back." Ouch.

Scrunchies, by design, keep the hair off the face, making for the perfect addition to any gymnast's ensemble. And at the 2008 Olympics, this trio, which included Nastia Liukin, Sandra Izbasa, and Shawn Johnson, showed off not just their medals, but their colorful hair scrunchies, too.

No 1980s-themed event would be complete without a scrunchie. And at the '80s-themed Take Me Home Tonight movie premiere earlier this year, reporter Angela Sun walked the red carpet wearing some blue liner and a gold lamé scrunchie. Ironically, former scrunchie-lover Debbie Gibson just happened to be at the event, as well — just no scrunchie for her.